This project is directed towards testing the hypothesis developed in this laboratory that significant components of the pharmacologic manifestations of ethanol and pharmacologically equivalent drugs might arise as a result of aberrant neuroamine metabolism. Particular emphasis will be directed to probe the endogenous formation of tetrahydroisoquinoline alkaloids and their biotransformation to other classes of complex alkaloids in experimental animals and in man as a consequence of ethanol administration. Another major objective is to delineate the pharmacologic properties of these newly identified neuroamine-derived alkaloids. The long range goal is to obtain information that may be instrumental in elucidating underlying neuropharmacologic actions of ethanol and related drugs which share potential to produce dependence.